A Cure for Depression

You don’t have to be depressed. There are many different reasons for depression, but in spite of those it’s still possible to find victory. The cure for depression is not far off. You can’t turn off the world. Your situation may seem hopeless or unbearable. But you can choose what you’re going to focus on.

Without God, you might as well continue and be depressed. Without God, there’s really no hope. Yet with God all things are possible! And all things are possible to those who believe. The problem is that even those who believe fail to set their minds on all that God has for them. They instead dwell on the problems.

Without denying your problems, you can choose to focus on God and His promises instead. Instead of saying, “I know what God’s Word says, BUT …” start saying, “I know this is a problem, BUT God’s Word says…”

In our culture, most people don’t know God’s Word, nor do they love Him. As a result, they are falling apart. Suicide rates are at alarming highs. More and more people struggle with depression. Why?Little GodsOne of the reasons is because they have become their own gods. When people reject any higher standard than their own hearts, and answer to no higher being, they become their own gods. They have no objective truth to lead them, and this seems like freedom at first. In the end, however, it brings despair. If everything is up to you, you soon discover that you can’t figure everything out. You soon discover that there’s much you can’t control.

Psychologists have confirmed that children feel more secure when parents enforce rules and discipline. It’s the same for adults. When the little gods throw away moral absolutes, they celebrate freedom but give up security. Being apart from the true God, they miss out on the love and direction that only Jesus can give.

They become depressed because they have a void that needs love. They demand and get tolerance from the world, thinking that this is the answer. But tolerance isn’t love. The world tolerates them, but the world really doesn’t care about them. Without a sense of love and care, life becomes miserable.

Add to that all the impending threats of doom and gloom, and we have much confusion, hopelessness, and fear. All the while the Lord invites: Fear not, for I am with you: Be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isa. 41:10)

“I Am With You”If God is with you, it means you’re not alone. You are loved. You have hope, because Christ rose from the dead. He is the beginning and the end, not your problems! You need not fear, because God is bigger than your problems. The end of depression is near when you start to believe that God is with you.

“But I don’t sense His presence!” We walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Cor. 5:7) It’s not about our senses. Our senses don’t tell us everything. Don’t rely on them. Rely on the truth as it’s presented in the Word of God. You have to come to the place of, “I don’t care how I feel, if God said it, then it’s true.”

“I Am Your God”If He is your God, you need not be dismayed. He is able to save you. He knows how to get you through. But you have to follow Him. He’s more qualified to lead you than yourself as your own god. That just ends up in despair.

He is your God, not some powerless statue in a temple! Not some sacred cow or holy tree as some worship in third world villages. Not some devil that hates you. Not some limited human being. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords!

He loves you. He will not let you finally fail. He is wisdom. His hands aren’t tied and He knows what to do.

“But He’s not doing anything for me!” How do you know that? Just because you haven’t seen the results yet doesn’t mean it’s not in the works. And He’s already done everything for you at the cross. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32) Be patient, and again walk by faith and not sight. You will always come through.

Recognize the fact that the enemy wants you to believe that this trial will last forever. It may seem like it at times, but refuse to let that thought live. Kill it with a simple, “God will deliver me!”“I Will Strengthen You…”Jesus bore the burden of the cross so that you might be set free. He made the way so that you can expect the Father to help you and uphold you with His righteous right hand. None of us deserve this. It’s only because He loves us so much!

You may feel weak, like you can’t do anything more. But you can wait. “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31) There’s the promise. Wait on God with expectation. We often do just the opposite. We wait on the problems with the expectation that they’ll finish us off.

The cure for depression is in shifting from the problems to the promises. Think about what you’re thinking about! Without denying the problems, give greater weight to God’s promises of love, provision, and deliverance. Start filling your head with the Word in order to cast out the worry. God’s light will overcome the darkness.

This may sound simplistic, but it’s profound. Depression generally doesn’t go away by passively waiting on God to change things. You need to take charge and say, “Enough!” You need to discipline your thought life to dwell on God’s truth. Respond to His truths. Don’t yield to the thoughts of doom and gloom. There will always be temptations to get depressed. In Christ you can resist those temptations, just like sin.

It takes some discipline, but it’s a sure cure for depression: “You wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusts in thee.” (Isa. 26:3)

Author Biography

Rick is a writer, speaker, teacher, and minister who has lived and served overseas since 1995. In late 2013, he moved back to America, but continues to travel and work with pastors and leaders across the world.
His passion is to build others up with the life-changing truths of Godâ€™s grace and love.Read more...

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